Improvement in head-rests for dental chairs



E. T. STARR. Head-Rest for Dental-Chairs. "ANO, 207,3l6.

Patented Aug. 20,1878.

IN VEN-TOR Ezaz; 'It Hagi? Attorneys, D l

WM i mPErERs. PMOm-LITMUGHAFHER. WASHINGTON. D. c.

ELI T. STARR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T'O SAMUEL 'UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S. WHITE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEAD-RESTS FR DENTAL CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,316, dated August 20, 1878 application filed July 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ELI T. STARR, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Head-Rests for Dental Chairs and other Purposes,vof which the following is a specification:

My invention constitutes an improvement upon the head-rest shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me December 28, 1875, as No. 171,539.

The object of the first part of my invention is to provide a head-rest frame or pad of such a shape that when mounted in the adjusting devices shown in my patent aforesaid, (or any devices allowing the same range of movement) and reversed, so as to elevate or depress it, the rest will have the same conguration with reference to the chair, no matter which end is forward, and will afford a comfort-able rest for the head and neck, which end I attain by constructing the rest-frame with curved, padded, or cushioned sides, to afford an easy rest for the head, which sides taper olf from the center toward each end, and terminate in depressions or recesses to receive and afford a rest for the neck.

My invention further consists of a head-rest composed of a wooden or other frame, cushioned, padded, and upholstered, provided with a metallic backing corresponding in shape to the upholstered frame, and carrying bracketarms, in which is mounted the supporting-bar by which the rest-frame is heldin its adjusted position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved head-rest; Fig. 2, a similar view of the wooden frame and its metallic backing; Fig. 3, a similar view of the head-rest as seen from the rear, and Fig. 4 a section on the line 1 l of Fig. 1.

The head-rest consists of a skeleton-frame, A, preferably of wood, the side pieces, a, of which are curved, as shown, and terminate in depressed end pieces, a', which form the neckrests. The side pieces, a, are provided with cushions or pads B, tapering from the center toward each end.` The frame is upholstered with plush, velvet, or other material, in the usual manner, entirely covering the frame, both in front and back, the rest being stuffed or padded for the ease and comfort of the patient, and, when finished, is of the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The raised or cushioned sides afford comfortable, firm, and easy support for the sides of the head, the back of which rests upon the flat central portion of the material with which the rest is upholstered, which constitutes a yielding support or slack strap, which readily conforms to the curvature of the head and neck, while the depressed ends, whichever one may be in front, afford a comfortable support for the neck of the person occupying the chair.

The rest-frame,when upholstered, is mounted upon a metallic backing, C, corresponding in shape to the back of the frame, the two being secured together in the present instance by suitable screws.VA This metallic frame is provided with bracket-arms C', carrying a bar, D, on one side of a central line drawn transversely through the rest, substantially as shown in my patent hereinbefore recited, which bar is supported in a suitable turning post Vor other device constituting part of the adjusting and retaining mechanism.

The manner of reversing the head-rest, so as to elevate or depress it, having'been fully described and claimed in my patent aforesaid, it is deemed unnecessary to recapitulate it here.

By my improvements I secure a reversible head-rest of such a shape and construction that no matter which end is forward, the same conliguration and the same comfortable and easy support for the head and neck are presented. The head-rest, moreover, can behighlynished, the metallic backing beingl capable of receiving a handsome polish'or plating, and hiding beneath it the seams or joints of the upholstering.

I do not broadly claim a concave reversible head-rest, as this is very old; but, so far as I am aware, I am the first to construct a symmetrically-shaped head-rest with a depressed central portion and raised upholstered sides, so curved as` toleave a space between them with its widest part in the center, and diminishing` toward either end, and with the depressed curved ends in the line of the central space for the reception of the neck of the patient.

I do not claim herein a head-rest for dental chairs consisting,` of a pair of pads connected by means of a slack strap, as such subject-matter is shown in an application for Letters Patent led by me October 11, 1877, of which this is a division.

I claim as of my own invention- 1. The reversible head rest constructed, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a depressed central portion, curved, padded, or cushioned sides, the space between which diminishes gradually from the center toward each end, and depressed ends to support the vneck of the patient.

2. The combination of a reversible head-rest frame, provided with curved, padded, or cushioned sides to afford an easy rest for the head, which sides taper off toward each end, and

ELI T. STARR.

Witnesses:

J. A. B. WILLiAMs, W. R. POTTER. 

